Dirty Spending Secrets

Washington liberals don’t want you to know . . .

It’s the seedy underbelly of Washington, D.C. The hallways of Congress are often dark alleys of wasteful spending and pork-laden deal-making. Down these lanes, shadowy special interests and empire-building bureaucracies lie in wait to relieve innocent taxpayers of their hard-earned money. They spend billions on wasteful programs, pet projects, and the accumulation of personal power. They threaten to bankrupt our country as our national debt soars out of control.

The victims often don’t even know it’s happening. Many don’t realize how bad it is. Do you?

Take the following test to see if you can detect five of the dirty spending secrets Washington doesn’t want you to know . . .

Ready for the first secret? »

(Hold your nose)

Every four years, Congress doles out $100 million of taxpayer money to:

Bolster the underfunded Medicare programIncrease spending on educationBankroll a party for politicians and their special-interest friends

For more than 40 years, both the Democratic and Republican parties have used the American taxpayer to subsidize their party conventions. From candidate films to entertainment, from volunteer gifts to transportation costs, the American taxpayer shells out more than $100 million every four years for each party to hold its own “hallelujah party,” in the words of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). At a time when Americans are feeling the squeeze of dwindling household income, higher taxes, and increased costs of gasoline and other items, being forced to subsidize a party celebrating Washington politicians is just another slap in the face to American taxpayers.

Next dirty secret »

(Grab the hand sanitizer for this one!)

How many full-time interns did the U.S. Department of Agriculture hire under its $2 million taxpayer-funded internship program?

2512510

Only Washington bureaucrats could justify funding a $2 million intern program that results in the hiring of just ONE intern. Weren’t Americans promised back in 2008 and 2010 that Washington would run a leaner, tighter operation with less waste, more transparency, and more taxpayer accountability? With inefficient programs like this, it’s no wonder the United States is sinking in a quagmire of debt of nearly $16 TRILLION!

Next dirty secret »

(It'll take more than a vacuum for this!)

The Department of Health and Human Services, led by Kathleen Sebelius, issued an $800,000 grant to subsidize the building of what franchised restaurant in a trendy Washington, D.C., neighborhood?

Dairy QueenIHOPMcDonald’s

In 2011, your tax dollars went toward building an International House of Pancakes in the heart of Columbia Heights—one of Washington’s trendiest and most desirable neighborhoods. Why is the HHS busying itself by doling out your hard-earned money to a successful restaurant chain in an elite D.C. neighborhood that is already swarming with eatery options? No amount of syrup can sweeten this sour deal.

Next dirty secret »

(Reach for the mop!)

How much money did Washington recently spend to train Chinese prostitutes to drink more responsibly on the job?

$100,000$327,000$2.6 Million

Incredibly, Washington is spending $2.6 million training Chinese prostitutes to drink more responsibly on the job. This is the kind of wasteful spending that President Obama and Congress have stubbornly refused to cut. Instead, they planned to raise taxes on families and entrepreneurs by trillions of dollars! Only action by citizens like you will break the Washington liberals of this kind of frivolous splurging.

Next dirty secret »

(Air freshener, please!)

How much money do federal employees cost taxpayers each year upgrading their flights to business class?

$146 million$14 million$1.7 million

Evidently the foot room is better! Federal employees cost taxpayers $146 million each year when they upgrade to business class flights. The Government Accountability Office found that more than half of these upgrades were not properly authorized. The rest of us have to fly coach and live on a budget—it’s time our government does the same.

Next dirty secret »

(And some real hope!)

The Bad News

The next dirty spending secret is that many Washington liberals are determined to keep spending more, raising the federal debt (already more than $15 trillion and 100% of our Gross Domestic Product), and increasing taxes.

The Good News

They can be stopped. The 2010 election showed that Americans are aware of the challenges we face. Polls show that voters are disgusted by all the spending. We have a real opportunity to make dramatic cuts in spending over the next few years and save the American Dream from national bankruptcy. Outrages like the ones you’ve just read can become a thing of the past.

To become part of the solution, please sign the Citizens’ Open Letter to Congress on Spending and Debt by The Heritage Foundation, the most influential policy think tank in America. Heritage will use this letter as part of its arsenal to show Congress the need for cuts . . . and your name will be among the countless Americans listed.